Arusha - Green Customs Initiative

with the sample document on file, language used on the form itself (English, French or
Spanish), issuing authority matches the authority in the CITES directory, the issuing authority
has signed the document with an original signature and whether the issuing authority’s stamp
or seal is on the document. Mr. Hattenback gave a quick guide as what to look out for with
documentation including: invalid CITES documents (expired, altered, fake, incomplete, copy,
false issuing authority); no match between contents and documents, substitution before
shipping; re-export of contents different than imported; Appendix I commercial purpose; false
captive breeding certificate; false pre-convention claim; false origin/fake issuing authority;
false marking system; and improper shipments to/from non-party country.
He also provided some guidance on safety measures that Customs Officers need to observe
such as not opening drums without protective gears, avoiding and/or isolating leaking drums
to a remote storage, consulting hazardous material response personnel whenever necessary
and observing key storage parameters for material. He further outlined a list of important
inspection tools including: I.D. materials, notebook and pen, phone or radio, bags and boxes,
evidence tags & inventory sheets, knife, hammer, pry bar, and camera. Mr Hattenback further
pointed out some of the necessary protective gears including clothing such as gloves
(leather/latex), uniform, coveralls, foot wear (leather/rubber); respirators and shields; and
environmental suits.
Wildlife Smuggling: U.S. Case Studies
Mr. Wayne Hattenbach from the US Department of Justice presented two case studies on
ivory smuggling and trans-boundary smuggling of undersized lobsters. He started describing
the case study on ivory investigation case study which involved smuggling of African
elephant ivory tusks and carved handicrafts from Nigeria to US. The case was jointly
investigated by Service Agents and the U.S. Customs Service. He said that the import of a
shipment of handicrafts and furniture arrived at the Port of Los Angeles, California. Following
the discovery of the raw ivory, the Inspector each of the pieces was put on the X-ray machine
revealing ivory hidden inside the fabric of the furniture items, are numerous tusks of elephant
ivory. When the fabric was cut-open, the Inspectors found little pillow padding. As the search
of the shipment continued, pieces of ivory were discovered in each of the items that were
examined. As the investigation A second shipment of ivory was again imported into Los
Angeles, California from Nigeria with ivory smuggled inside statues. This second shipment of
statues was X-rayed and ivory was detected. These statues were opened up and the ivory seen.
However, he explained that the statue shipment was resealed to its original condition upon
import and returned to the air cargo facility. Agents further discovered that the importer of
this shipment was associated with the previous shipment of furniture. Agents search addresses
and previous import records which show both of the smugglers in this case had made many
trips and imports into the U.S. from Nigeria.
Mr. Hattenback indicated that the airline notified the importer that the shipment belonging to
him had arrived at the airport and the Agents planned for a “controlled delivery” of the items
knowing what was inside. He noted that knowledge of the unlawful activity, while not always
required, helped to build the prosecution of the case. The subject arrived at the cargo facility
to pick up the shipments while Agents were watching. After the shipment was picked up,
Agents followed the subject to a storage facility and watched him unloading the shipment into
his storage unit. Agents watched the storage facility 24 hours a day for the next several days.
The subjects were observed loading and manipulating the shipments. Ivory and pieces of the
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